Ask Sam letter

To Sam9 September 2017

Messed up my GCSE's.

​

Hi Sam,

​

I've just completed my GCSE's and when I got the results back I was so shocked because they were so awful and low. I am predicted high grades and I just didn't get them. Alright I passed everything which is great. But they were nowhere near my grades to get to sixth form college.

When I enrolled at College I was told that I couldn't do Physics or Maths, I didn't know what to do, as my passion is Physics, and I don't like anything else. So I had to change all my Subjects and my ultimate career because of these bad grades.

I feel that I've let everyone down, especially my old teachers who helped me so much. I am so disappointed that I am angry at myself because I've ruined my career.

Sam12 September 2017

Hi there,

Everybody goes through difficult times where they might not be as successful as they hoped. We all make mistakes or fail tests sometimes. Nobody is perfect. It's important to learn from mistakes and carry on towards our goals, despite any setbacks. There are not many times when a path is completely out of reach, it just may take a little more work or a different route. There are many different ways to plan your future.

Whatever you want to do as a career, your GCSE grades don't have to decide this. Whilst these exams are important, there are plenty of other ways to start in the career you want. If you want to do physics at sixth form, there might be ways to get there next year.

There are people who can support you and help you make decisions about your future. At your college there should be advisers who can tell you what you need to be able to study physics there. A good place to start might be the physics teachers or the head of the science department.

There may also be another route to studying physics at a higher level, like courses you can take outside of school. The Open University and other online learning courses might give you the qualifications you need to be able to study physics later on. These are not usually free, but you can talk to them if you need help with paying for a course.

You could also try talking to a career adviser who can suggest different paths and careers that you might enjoy, based on your interests and the subjects you like the most. The National Careers Service is a good place to find that kind of advice.

I hope this has helped you to see that although it is disappointing to get lower grades than you were hoping, it doesn't have to be the end of your dreams. Thanks for the letter, take care.

Sam

​

Need help straight away?

You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.

Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small.